Eternal Gratitude For the Free Grace of God

Who Really Receives God’s Grace?

Asking for God’s grace has been part of many formal prayers and ceremonies through the years. For example, during the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953, the following words were recited: “Who hast at this time consecrated thy servant ELIZABETH to be our Queen, that by the anointing of thy grace she may be the Defender of thy Faith and the Protector of thy Church and People.”

Most people don’t think much about such ceremonial language—they don’t really focus on what God’s grace is or when and why God gives it.

In other cases, various people have ascribed individual events in their lives to God’s intervention and grace. The first American president, George Washington, is one of those.

In the summer of 1755, Washington was a colonel under the command of British General Braddock during the French and Indian War. When Braddock’s forces marched against Fort Duquesne in July of 1755, they were surprised by the French and Indian forces and routed. General Braddock was killed, and Washington led the remaining soldiers in a retreat to Virginia.

Colonel Washington had two horses killed beneath him and counted four bullet holes in his coat when he finally arrived back in Virginia! Washington, in spite of the bullet holes found in his coat, was unhurt. He believed he had been spared by God’s grace and wrote the following to his brother, John Augustine:

“I now exist and appear in the land of the living by the miraculous care of Providence, that protected me beyond all human expectation.”

God’s grace can include His merciful intervention and direction in people’s lives. However, when the Bible speaks about God’s grace, it is generally referring to a much bigger subject—one that is eternal in nature!

What does God say about grace?

God makes it clear in the Bible that His grace is a gift. It is the very character of God’s nature, abounding and overflowing outwardly in acts of mercy, compassion and liberal giving. (For more on this, see the article on “What Is Grace?”) Grace cannot be earned by human beings.

Notice this statement in Ephesians 2:7-8: “That in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.”

This point is further underscored in Romans 5:15-16: “But the free gift is not the offense.

For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. And the gift is not that which came through the one who sinned.

For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification.”

Clearly grace is a gift given by God. But the question is, Does our conduct play any part in whether or not we are the recipients of His grace?

The role of repentance and forgiveness

The concepts of sin, repentance and grace are tied together closely. God’s grace, through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, removes the penalty of sin. Our part in this is to repent of the sin and follow a different path.

Notice Romans 6:13-16:

“And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law [under the penalty for breaking the law] but under grace.

“What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin to death, or of obedience to righteousness?”

The idea that God extends His grace regardless of our conduct is not a new one, but it is contrary to God’s Word.

The Bible contains repeated warnings against using grace as a license to continue in sin!Our sin subjects us to the death penalty, but we are pardoned by God’s grace when we repent and change our ways.

We cannot expect to continue in sin and also continue to be the recipients of grace.

The book of Jude expresses a similar thought: “For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ” (Jude 1:4).

The idea that God extends His grace regardless of our conduct is not a new one, but it is contrary to God’s Word.

The Bible contains repeated warnings against using grace as a license to continue in sin!

What about faith?

The apostle Paul summed up the relationship between grace, faith and obedience in his letter to the Ephesians.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:8-10, emphasis added).

Grace is an unmerited gift from God—no one can boast or claim to have earned it. We are, however, to have good works—to walk in His ways. We also receive that grace through faith in God and Jesus Christ. To put it another way, the justification of our sins, which comes through grace, requires faith.

As Paul wrote: “Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus” (Romans 3:24-26).

The need for humility

God also requires His people to have humility. For example, Micah 6:8 says: “He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?”

On the other hand, pride is a character flaw that God hates: “These six things the LORD hates, yes, seven are an abomination to Him: A proud look, …” (Proverbs 6:16-17).

To receive grace, we are expected to humble ourselves, so that God can exalt us at a later time. “wise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders.

Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for ‘God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.

’ Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time” (1 Peter 5:5-6).

Humility is often viewed as weakness in today’s world, but God values it greatly. Furthermore, He does not grant His grace to the proud!

God’s role in our lives

Many have claimed God’s intervention in their lives, and God is certainly a merciful God who intervenes in human lives and human events to work His will. God’s grace in sparing us from the penalty of sin is a more specific concept, and it is granted for a specific purpose to those who repent and turn from sin, have faith in Him and show humility.

The apostle Paul spoke of both his desire for God’s healing of a physical malady in his life, as well as his understanding of the more important need for God’s grace.

His physical infirmity is mentioned in 2 Corinthians 12:7-9: “And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure.

Concerning this thing I pleaded to the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.

’ Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in My infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

Paul didn’t receive the intervention he sought for his physical infirmities, but he knew that he was the recipient of something much more important—the grace of God, which comforted him because he had been delivered from his sins. “Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father” (Galatians 1:3-4).

If you want to receive God’s grace in your life, please read the booklet Change Your Life! and apply the biblical steps it outlines. God is ready and anxious to extend His grace to those who are called and converted. The rest is up to you!

Continue Reading

Источник: //lifehopeandtruth.com/change/grace/who-really-receives-gods-grace/

What Is Free Grace Theology? | Grace Evangelical Society

Although Free Grace theology goes back to the Lord Jesus and to His Apostles—and it was certainly evident in the seventeenth through nineteenth centuries as well (e.g.

, Glas, Sandeman, Darby, Mackintosh, Lange, Govett)—it has really taken shape in the last 35 years. The Gospel Under Siege by Zane Hodges came out in 1981 and it helped to define some of the major issues.

But even today, there is still more work to be done to nail down all of the particulars of Free Grace theology.

Free Grace Theology Summarized

Before we look at the particulars, here is a summary in one (long) sentence:

Free Grace theology is the view that 1) everlasting life is a free gift (which the Lord Jesus fully paid for by His death on the cross for our sins) which is received by faith alone in Christ alone, apart from works of any kind; 2) that assurance of one’s eternal destiny is based solely on believing Jesus’ promise to the believer and not at all on our works or on our feelings; and 3) that all people, believers and unbelievers, are accountable for their works, receive recompense for what they do in this life, and will be judged at the end of the age (in two separate judgments) to determine degrees of reward (believers) or degrees of torment (unbelievers) in the life to come, but not to determine their eternal destinies.

First Essential: Faith Alone

Everlasting life is a free gift (which the Lord Jesus fully paid for by His death on the cross for our sins) which is received by faith alone in Christ alone, apart from works of any kind.

Not faith plus works. That is the Arminian position.

Not faith that works. That is what many in the Reformed or 5-Point Calvinist camp say.

Both believe that perseverance in good works is required to make it to heaven. Arminians say if a believer fails to persevere in good works, then he loses eternal life and he goes to hell. Many (but not all) Calvinists say if a believer fails to persevere in good works, then he proves he wasn’t a “true believer” in the first place and he goes to hell.

There isn’t any practical difference in these views. They both end in doubt.

Arminians can never be sure of their salvation. Neither can Calvinists. Even though Calvinists say you can’t lose eternal life, since failure to persevere proves one didn’t have “true faith” in the first place, to the lapsed Calvinist it will seem that they had then lost their salvation.

The Free Grace position has as its first characteristic that simply by believing in Jesus a person has eternal life. It advocates for faith alone, in Christ alone, nothing added, and no strings attached.

Faith in Christ is intellectual assent. Stripped of its pejorative connotation, “intellectual assent” is a good definition of what faith is.

For example, do you believe that George Washington was the first President of the United States? If you do, then you know what faith is from a Biblical perspective.

There is no commitment, no decision of the will, no turning from sins, and no works that are part of faith in Christ. If you are convinced or persuaded that what He promised is true, then you believe in Him. Faith is passive. It is simply taking Jesus at His word.

But what specifically must we believe about Jesus to have eternal life?

The specific object of saving faith is Jesus’ promise of eternal life (cf. John 3:16; 6:47; 11:26). These passages all say that whoever believes in Jesus Christ has everlasting life. When we believe that, we believe in Jesus.

While Free Grace people believe in and proclaim the cross and the resurrection, we do not say that all who believe Jesus died for our sins and rose again have eternal life. Why not? Because someone can believe those things about Jesus and also believe in salvation by works. That is not a saving message.

In order to have saving faith, a person must believe that everlasting life (or equivalent ideas justification, eternal relationship with God, guaranteed eternity with Jesus in His kingdom, or once saved, always saved) is by faith alone in Christ alone, apart from works. It is not enough to believe that faith in Jesusis one condition among many. One must believe that faith in Jesus is the  only condition of eternal life.

Thus turning from sins, commitment, obedience, and perseverance are not faith and thus aren’t conditions of eternal life. Those are all types of works. Works have their proper place in the Christian life, but only after you have believed in Jesus.

The Free Grace position is very clear that turning from sins is not a synonym for faith nor a condition of eternal life. Note that well.

(Some in the Free Grace camp believe that repentance is a condition of everlasting life, but they define repentance as a change of mind about Christ, not turning from sins. In essence that view sees repentance as a synonym for faith.)

Perseverance in faith and good works is not a condition of eternal life. Most people say that only those who persevere in faith and good works will make it into the kingdom. That is not the Free Grace position.

It is possible to believe in Christ and yet sin. Indeed, all Christians sin daily (Rom 3:23; 1 John 1:8, 10). The Scriptures show that failure, even major failure, is possible in the Christian life.

First Corinthians 3:3 shows that if you look at the works of some believers, you can’t distinguish them from the works of unbelievers. First Corinthians 5:1-5 shows that the works of some believers are actually worse than the works of unbelievers.

Luke 19:20-26, Jas 5:19-20, and 2 Tim 2:11-13 show that some believers do not persevere.

The point is, perseverance is not guaranteed. Commitment and obedience and perseverance are all necessary to please God and to have fullness of life, but they are not conditions of everlasting life. Belief in Jesus is the sole condition.

Second Essential: Assurance

Assurance of one’s eternal destiny is found solely in believing Jesus’ promise to the believer and not at all in our works or feelings.

Believers should be assured of their eternal life (1 John 5:13). But most Evangelicals believe that good works are indispensable for assurance. That means a brand-new Christian can’t be sure where he is going when he dies since he hasn’t produced any good works yet.

Indeed no Christian could be sure since there is no checklist in Scripture that indicates how many works are necessary to show that someone is born again. No one could be sure that his works were good enough to prove he was born again.

And even if one was highly confident in his works now (which by itself is a bad thing in terms of assurance, Matt 7:21-23), he could never be sure that he would persevere (1 Cor 9:27).

Because most Evangelicals believe that good works are indispensable for assurance, they deny that certainty of one’s eternal destiny is possible prior to death. After all, if only those who persevere will make it into the kingdom, and if we can’t be sure until death that we will persevere, then we can’t be sure if we are kingdom bound till we die.

Free Grace theology rejects that way of thinking. We deny that assurance is found inside of us, in a subjective judgment of our works. Rather, the only condition of assurance is found outside of us, by believing the promise that Jesus guarantees eternal life to all who simply believe in Him for it.

In John 11:26 Jesus asked Martha, “Do you believe this?” She said “Yes, Lord.” She didn’t look to her works. She didn’t wonder about her future works or whether she would persevere in the future or not. She knew that didn’t impact her belief or her eternal life.

Simply put, assurance is of the essence of saving faith. This means that whenever a person believes in Jesus, he knows for sure he has everlasting life.

Or, saying it the other way, if a person has never been sure that he has eternal life simply by faith in Jesus, he has not yet been born again.

However, that does not mean that someone who currently lacks assurance, or who can’t remember if they ever had assurance, is not born again.

The question is whether they ever had assurance. For if someone has never had assurance of eternal life, that means they never believed Jesus’ promise that believers have everlasting life as a present possession (John 3:16).

And if someone has never believed that—i.e.

, if they have not believed in Jesus’ promise of eternal life—then they are not born again! In fact, if you ask them why they believe eternal life can be lost, their answer will usually show that they actually believe in salvation by works.

Free Grace theology proclaims the truth that assurance is not found by looking to our works or feelings, but in believing Jesus’ promise of life.

Third Essential: Accountability

All people—believers and unbelievers—are accountable for their works, receive recompense for what they do in this life, and will be judged at the end of the age to determine degrees of reward (believers) or degrees of torment (unbelievers) in the life to come, but not to determine their eternal destinies.

A final vital element of Free Grace theology is the doctrine of accountability. People who emphasize faith apart from works are sometimes accused of antinomianism. But the grace of God is not a license to sin. It is a call to holiness. The question for the believer is this: what will you do with the everlasting life that God has given you? Will you glorify Him with your life?

The Bible is clear: “Whatever a man sows, that he will also reap” (Gal 6:7). Whether believer or unbeliever, we reap what we sow. There is no escaping that because God is our judge and He sees all. But the reason why all people will be judged according to their works is not so that God can determine who gets into the kingdom.

Believers will be judged according to our works, before the Millennium, at the Judgment Seat of Christ, in order to determine our degrees of rewards in the life to come.

Will we rule with Christ? If so, how much authority will He grant us? Will we have the right to eat the twelve fruits of the tree of life? Will we get special clothes that mark us out as having been overcomers in this life? How abundant will our life be in the life to come? According to the Free Grace theology there is no “final judgment” of believers to determine our eternal destiny. Believers “shall not come into judgment” (John 5:24). Eternal destiny is a done deal the moment a person believes in Jesus for everlasting life. John 3:18, 5:24, and 11:26 are all clear on this.

Unbelievers will be judged according to their works, after the Millennium, to determine their degree of suffering in the Lake of Fire. Even the judgment of unbelievers at the Great White Throne Judgment is not strictly to determine their eternal destinies.

It is more to “announce” their eternal destinies and to announce their degree of punishment their deeds.

According to Rev 20:15 the basis of being sent to the Lake of Fire is found in the Book of Life, not in the books of works: “Anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.”

The doctrine of accountability explains one of the major motivations for a believer to live for Christ; namely, if we love Him, we want to please Him, and to have His blessings both now and in the life to come.

Ramifications of Free Grace Theology

Free Grace theology is life transforming.

First, by believing the Lord’s promise of life one gains everlasting life, which makes growth and fullness of life possible. There is no other way to be born again.

Second, as long as one believes the promise of life he remains sure of his eternal destiny. There is no other way to be certain of our eternal destiny.

Third, assurance produces love and gratitude, which are powerful motivators to live for God.

Fourth, knowing that our quality of life here and now depends on walking by faith is also highly motivating.

Fifth, knowing that one day the Lord will judge us and that the fullness of our eternal life forever will depend on the outcome of that judgment should move us daily to walk in the light of God’s Word.

Far from being something which pushes people to ungodliness, Free Grace theology drives people to holiness. Free Grace theology really works.

Conclusion: Eternal Life Is Truly Certain and Free for All Who Simply Believe in Jesus

Most people witness this: “I don’t know where I’m going when I die. If you have 5 minutes I can help you not know where you are going when you die.” With a message that, is it any wonder that most people find it hard to witness? That isn’t good news, is it?

People who hold to Free Grace theology truly have good news that they can share with friends, loved ones, and strangers a. We can say, “I know I have eternal life right now and that I will always have eternal life no matter what. I know I’ll spend eternity in God’s kingdom. If you have a few minutes I can show you how you can be sure you have eternal life now and forever.”

Only the Free Grace position is truly good news. Only we actually believe in sola fide, by faith alone. Only we accurately proclaim the ramifications of the finished work of Christ on the cross. Let’s share this good news far and wide!

Источник: //faithalone.org/grace-in-focus-articles/what-is-free-grace-theology/

The power of grace and mercy

Imagine you were pulled over by a cop for a traffic offense. You were guilty. You knew the penalty, the punishment. But wait. The officer turns to you, advises you to be mindful about traffic laws, and lets you off the hook. Just that. It happened to me. 

If something that ever happened to you, then you’ve been a recipient of mercy. You were let off the hook, when you didn’t deserve it.

Mercy is when you don’t receive what you deserve: punishment.

Maybe you haven’t received mercy for civil law breaking, but if you’ve given your heart to Jesus, then you have met the God who is ‘rich in mercy’ (Ephesians 2:4). What did He do? He let you off the hook when you didn’t deserve it. Paul wrote:

“He saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy” (Titus 3:5, NLT).

Instead of punishing and giving us what we deserve (Romans 6:23), He saved us from the punishment. That's mercy. Isaiah said it this way:

“He took the punishment we deserved, and this brought us peace” (Isaiah 53:5, ERV).

Grace: Even better than mercy

Mercy is not cheap. It is expensive because it costed His Son’s life to set us free. And while, mercy is good news, just wait till you hear about Grace. Grace is much more than mercy.

Here’s the difference. Mercy is when you don’t receive what you deserve: punishment. But grace is when you receive what you don’t deserve: reward.

Do you get the difference? Read it again until you’ve figured it out.

What grace and mercy look

Here's a few examples of grace and mercy in action:

• The prodigal son received mercy when the father accepted him. Grace when he threw him a party.
• The thief on the cross received mercy when he experienced forgiveness. Grace when Jesus promised Him paradise.
• We received mercy when God chose us and saved us from the punishment for our sins. Grace when He gave us eternal life (1 John 5:11); made us sons and daughters (John 1:12), and reserved an inheritance for us for eternity (1 Peter 1:4).

Mercy and Grace are amazing. That’s why we sing so many songs about them!

Not only is grace amazing. It is also the central theme in the Bible. It is about a gracious God who pursues, came for us, cared for us, and is coming again for us.

This is Amazing Grace

Here’s a few ways the Bible describes the grace of God:

Grace is God’s gift to me: “All of us need to be made right with God by His grace, which is a free gift through Jesus Christ.” (Romans 3:24, NCV)

Grace is for everyone: “For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people” (Titus 2:11, NLT).

Grace comes through Jesus: “For the law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” (John 1:17, NIV).

Grace is received by faith: “God saved you by his grace when you believed.” (Ephesians 2:8, NLT).

Grace is God’s gift for all eternity: “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

Grace is God’s gift of forgiveness: “But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:15).

Grace is God’s power to change: “So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most” (Hebrews 4:16).

The power to save a wretch  me … and you

Yes, grace changes people. The apostle made it clear that the gospel of His grace and mercy is intended to turn people to God and from their sins (Romans 2:4). Grace not only forgives; it changes, transforms, rewires everyone who enters into a relationship with Jesus.

There is more. When grace happens, gratitude happens. “And as God’s grace reaches more and more people, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory” (2 Corinthians 4:15)

You can live a life of gratitude to God, not because of anything you did, but because of what He did for you. If you have put your trust in His Son to save you, He says He has given you life, and has saved you:

“But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)” (Ephesians 2:4-5).

to thank God for His mercy and grace? Here’s what you can do:

• Make a list of your grace and mercy experiences
• Talk with God over the list, and thank Him for each blessing
• Share your experiences with your friends, and spread the joy
• Keep the list, add to it and return to it when you need to remember His goodness
• Praise God for His mercy! Praise God for His grace!

Image. License.

Источник: //fervr.net/bible/the-power-of-grace-and-mercy

The Power of Gratitude: 21 Verses of Thanks to God

We have so much to be grateful for in this life. Each and every day. But reality is that sometimes constant life demands, struggles, and worries give more room to defeat than to a heart of thanks. Or we forget, in the midst of busyness and pressures, just to pause and give thanks, for all that God has done, and continues to do in our lives.

Sometimes it really is a sacrifice to offer praise and thanks. We may not feel it. We’re struggling. We're weary. Or maybe, we feel He let us down. We think God seems distant, he's far away, or doesn't really care about what's troubling us. Painful life blows and losses might have recently sent us spiraling.

But here’s what can make a lasting difference. We have a choice, every day, to give him thanks.

And with a heart of thanksgiving, we realize that no matter what we face, God doesn’t just work to change our situations and help us through our problems. He does more. He changes our hearts.

His power, through hearts of gratitude and focused minds on Him, releases the grip our struggles have over us. We're strengthened by His peace, refueled by His joy.

God's Word is filled with many reminders of how powerful and vital a thankful heart can be in this world.

The Power of a Grateful Heart, 7 Things It Can Do:

1. It gets our eyes off ourselves, and helps us to focus back on God.
2. It reminds us we're not in control, but that we serve a Mighty God who is. It keeps us in a place of humility and dependency on Him, as we recognize how much we need Him.

3. It helps us to recognize we have so much to be thankful for, even all of the little things, which often we may forget to thank Him for…but they really are the biggest, most important things in this life. It takes our attention off of our problems and helps us instead to reflect on, to remember, the goodness of His many blessings.

4. It reminds us that God is the Giver of all good gifts. We were never intended to be fully self-sufficient in this life. A grateful heart reminds us that ultimately God is our Provider, that all blessings and gifts are graciously given to us by His hand.
5. A heart of gratitude leaves no room for complaining.

   For it is impossible to be truly thankful and filled with negativity and ungratefulness at the same time.

6. It makes the enemy flee. The forces of darkness can't stand to be around hearts that give thanks and honor to God. Our praise and thanksgiving will make them flee.
7. It opens up the door for continued blessings. It invites His presence.

   Our spirits are refreshed and renewed in Him. God loves to give good gifts to His children. He delights in our thankfulness and pours out His Spirit and favor over those who give honor and gratitude to Him.

21 Gratitude Bible Verses of Thanks from God's Word:

“O Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; Let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation. Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise! For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods.”  Ps. 95:1-3

“Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.” Ps. 100:4-5

“Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his love endures forever.” Ps. 118:29

“I will give thanks to you, LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.” Ps. 9:1

“I will give to the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness, and I will sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High.” Ps. 7:17

“Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.” Col. 2:7

“And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.” Col. 3:15

“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” Col. 4:2

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” James 1:17

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” Phil 4:6

“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed the eagle's.” Ps. 103:1-5

“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thess. 5:18

“Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!” Ps. 107:1

“Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,” Eph. 5:20

“The Lord is my strength and my shield; My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart exults, And with my song I shall thank Him.” Ps. 28:7

“I will praise the name of God with song, and shall magnify Him with thanksgiving.” Ps. 69:30

“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever. Give thanks to the God of gods, for his steadfast love endures forever.

Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his steadfast love endures forever; to him who alone does great wonders, for his steadfast love endures forever; to him who by understanding made the heavens, for his steadfast love endures forever; …” Ps. 136:1-5

“Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire.” Heb. 12:28-29

“Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!” 2 Cor. 9:15

“We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was, because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign.” Rev. 11:17

“Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!” Rev. 7:12

A Prayer of Gratitude

Dear God, 

Thank you for your amazing power and work in our lives, thank you for your goodness and for your blessings over us. Thank you that you are Able to bring hope through even the toughest of times, strengthening us for your purposes. Thank you for your great love and care. Thank you for your mercy and grace. Thank you that you are always with us and will never leave us.

Thank you for your incredible sacrifice so that we might have freedom and life. Forgive us for when we don't thank you enough, for who you are, for all that you do, for all that you've given. Help us to set our eyes and our hearts on you afresh. Renew our spirits, fill us with your peace and joy. We love you and we need you, this day and every day.

 We give you praise and thanks, for You alone are worthy! 

In Jesus' Name,

Amen.

Debbie McDaniel is a writer, pastor's wife, mom to three amazing kids (and a lot of pets). Join her each morning on Fresh Day Ahead's page,//www..com/DebbieWebbMcDaniel, for daily encouragement in living strong, free, hope-filled lives. Find her also at //.com/debbmcdaniel and //www.debbiemcdaniel.com.
 

Image courtesy: Thinkstockphotos.com

Источник: //www.crosswalk.com/blogs/debbie-mcdaniel/the-power-of-a-grateful-heart-21-verses-of-thanksgiving.html

5 Prayers that Thank God for His Amazing Grace – Counting My Blessings

I can’t say it’s necessarily the way I was taught as a child … it just seemed to evolve over time.

I knew God had fully taken care of my salvation through Jesus sacrifice and that through faith in His amazing gift my eternal future was secure…

But my here and now — that was influenced by God’s favor given in response to my behavior.

I had childish faith!

Faith that believed God loved me more when I was “good” and less when I wasn’t.

Which is one of the reasons why I love the following quotes so much:

“Though our feelings come and go, God’s love for us does not!” ~ C. S. Lewis

“The sin underneath all our sins is to trust the lie of the serpent that we cannot trust the love and grace of Christ and must take matters into our own hands” ~ Martin Luther

It took a lot of bumps in the road that send me deep into His Word before I finally believed I could completely trust God’s awesome amazing grace and love! Grace that covers my past and yours. Grace that forgives without any help from you or me. Grace that is undeserved and simply to be received with gratitude and joy.

So, I’m hoping you’ll join me as I turn to God’s Word for a daily dose of grace — praying and praising Him for this awesome and amazing gift.

Ephesians 2:8–9

Father, thank you for Jesus, Your perfect gift of grace. I know my eternal future is secure because all You have done for me through Jesus. You have made me yours forever. Nothing can remove me from Your hand. (John 10:29) I am safe and secure in Your unchanging love. How can I begin to thank You?! With my life. I give You my all. I love You, Lord. Amen. 

Romans 6:13b–14

Father, how I have struggled to understand the freedom You give. Forgive me for believing I live under the Law’s requirements. Thank you for Your patience in teaching me Your truth.

When my heart and mind are set on You — when I am fully surrendered and living for Your glory, then and only then can I know true freedom.

By the power of Your Spirit help me keep me surrendered and grateful … and fully alive to serve and glorify You. Amen.

Hebrews 4:16

Father, it overwhelms me that You want me to enter throne room in prayer. It is in that holy place where I have learned to “be still and know You.” (Psalm 46:10) It is there I have found Your mercy that forgives my foolish selfishness and Your grace that saves me. Thank you for Jesus, our example … who understands who I am, loves me, and helps me. Amen.  

Romans 5:6

And since it is through God’s kindness, then it is not by their good works. For, in that case, God’s grace would not be what it really is—free and undeserved.

Father, You are kind and good. It is impossible for anyone to deserve what Jesus has done. Your grace is free, undeserved, and unconditional.

There is nothing I can ever do to repay You for all You’ve done and all You continue to do in my life. I am saved by Your grace alone and in humble response I humbly thank you and offer myself to You.

With Your Spirit’s help, may I live this day for Your glory. Amen.

2 Corinthians 13:14

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

Father, Jesus is Your grace with flesh on. He revealed your love to us and Your Spirit reveals Your mercy, grace, and love in countless ways every day. Thank you for Your presence in my life. Your grace is truly amazing! In Jesus name, I pray. Amen.

Make an intentional effort as you go throughout the day to stop and celebrate God’s amazing gift of grace. Praise Him for the fact that there is nothing you can do to earn or deserve it.

God gives His grace simply because He loves you that much.

Faith ‘n Friends Link Party

I’m so glad you’re here!

This is a place to share faith, make friends, and have fun.

I’d love to connect with you on social media!

[Tweet “I’m finding #Friendship and #Inspiration at #Faith ‘n Friends #LinkUp Come join the fun! “]

Deb Wolf
/ / Pinterest

I’m excited to share the following posts with you this week.

@ The Wholehearted Home

Thank you, Latoya, Chizobam, and Sarah for partying with us!

No More Rules Link Party

Add 1-2 of your favorite faith/life posts.
Then just make friends and have fun.
You know they love it when you stop by and say “hello.”

I would really appreciate it if you would
Grab my Link Party Button above and link back to CMB.

May your week be blessed with faith, love, and friendship! 

Don’t forget to leave your prayer requests…

and pray over the list left by our friends.

I always enjoy hearing from you! Please take a minute to say ‘hi’ and share your thoughts in the comments below.

Have you visited the Faith ‘n Friends Link Party Board on Pinterest? It’s a great place to catch up with past posts you may have missed here at the party and/or save them for a future read! If you’d to become a contributor to my Pinterest Group Boards – email me at deb@debwolf.com with a link to your Pinterest home page.

I’m always looking for stories that will encourage and inspire readers to live in faith, stay faithful in hope, and find joy in loving Jesus and others. If you’re interested in sharing your story here at Counting My Blessings –check out my Contributor Guidelines page. 

And if this article blessed or helped you today — would you share it with someone? Maybe a friend, family member, coworker, or through the links below…

Thank you and God bless!

Источник: //countingmyblessings.com/amazing-grace-prayers/